Angelonia plant named ‘Sungeloho’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Angelonia  plant named ‘Sungeloho’, characterized by its compact and upright plant habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; long flowering period; large white-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Angelonia augustifolia.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SUNGELOHO’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Angelonia plant, botanically known as Angelonia angustifolia, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Sungeloho’.

The new Angelonia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact, upright and freely branching Angelonia plants with attractive flower coloration.

The new Angelonia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in August, 2006 in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan of a proprietary selection of Angelonia angustifolia identified as code number AA-07, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Angelonia angustifolia identified as code number AA-120-1, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Angelonia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan in August, 2007.

Asexual reproduction of the new Angelonia plant by cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan since September, 2007, has shown that the unique features of this new Angelonia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Angelonia have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Sungeloho’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Sungeloho’ as a new and distinct Angelonia plant:

-   -   1. Compact and upright plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit.     -   3. Freely flowering habit.     -   4. Long flowering period.     -   5. Large white-colored flowers.     -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Angelonia differ from plants of the female parent selection primarily in plant habit as plants of the new Angelonia are more compact than plants of the female parent selection. In addition, plants of the new Angelonia and the female parent selection differ in flower color as plants of the female parent selection have pink-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Angelonia differ from plants of the male parent selection primarily in plant habit as plants of the new Angelonia are taller than plants of the male parent selection. In addition, plants of the new Angelonia and the male parent selection differ in flower color as plants of the male parent selection have light pink-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Angelonia can be compared to plants of Angelonia angustifolia ‘Cart White’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,153. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan, plants of the new Angelonia and ‘Cart White’ differed in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Angelonia were more upright and narrower         than plants of ‘Cart White’.     -   2. Leaves of plants of the new Angelonia were pubescence whereas         leaves of plants of ‘Cart White’ were glabrous.     -   3. Flower petals of plants of the new Angelonia were more         rounded than flower petals of plants of ‘Cart White’.     -   4. Plants of the new Angelonia and ‘Cart White’ differed         slightly in flower color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Angelonia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Angelonia plant.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Sungeloho’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a close-up view of typical inflorescences of ‘Sungeloho’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used for the aforementioned photographs and the following observations, measurements and values were grown during the summer and early autumn in 15-cm containers in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan and under typical commercial cultural practices. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 22° C. and night temperatures averaged 15° C. Plants were four months old when the photographs and the description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Angelonia angustifolia ‘Sungeloho’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Angelonia             angustifolia identified as code number AA-07, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Angelonia             angustifolia identified as code number AA-120-1, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About two weeks at 20° C. to             30° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About three weeks at 20° C.             to 25° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About four             weeks at 25° C. to 30° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About five             weeks at 20° C. to 25° C.         -   Root description.—Fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderate branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form/habit.—Herbaceous perennial; compact and upright             plant habit; narrow inverted triangle; freely branching             habit, when pinched, about twelve lateral branches develop             per plant; vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 32.6 cm.         -   Plant width (spread).—About 21 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 28.8 cm. Diameter: About             2.7 mm. Internode length: About 2.4 cm. Texture: Smooth,             glabrous. Color: Close to 144B. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, decussate; simple; sessile.         -   Length.—About 7.6 cm.         -   Width.—About 1.1 cm.         -   Shape.—Narrowly elliptic.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Obtuse.         -   Margin.—Shallowly serrate.         -   Texture, upper surface.—Pubescent.         -   Texture, lower surface.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate, reticulate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137C.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 138B. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137B; venation,             close to 145C. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to 138B; venation, close to 145C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type/habit.—Single bilabiate flowers arranged in             terminal racemes; flowers face mostly outwardly; freely             flowering habit with about 23 flowers per inflorescence;             dense inflorescences.         -   Fragrance.—Faintly fragrant, pleasant.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about six             to seven weeks after planting; long flowering period, in the             garden, flowering is continuous from late spring until             autumn in Japan.         -   Postproduction longevity.—Flowers last about five days on             the plant; flowers not persistent.         -   Flower buds.—Height: About 6.1 mm. Diameter: About 5.1 mm.             Shape: Globose. Color: Close to 145C.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 13.8 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 3 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 2.2 cm by 1.7 cm.         -   Flower depth.—About 1 cm.         -   Throat diameter.—About 6.2 mm.         -   Tube length.—About 5.7 mm.         -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Bilabiate; one upper two-lobed             petal and one lower three-lobed petal; petals fused at the             base into a tubular throat. Length, upper lip: About 6.5 mm.             Length, lower lip, lateral lobes: About 9.4 mm. Length,             lower lip, median lobe: About 9.4 mm. Width, upper lip:             About 7.6 mm. Length, lower lip, lateral lobes: About 7 mm.             Length, lower lip, median lobe: About 6.9 mm. Shape, upper             lip: Rounded; apex, truncate to rounded. Shape, lower lip,             lateral and median lobes: Rounded; apex, truncate to             rounded. Margin, upper and lower lips: Entire. Texture,             upper and lower lips, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous. Color: Upper lip, when opening and fully opened,             upper surface: Close to NN155C. Lower lip, lateral lobes,             when opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close to             N155C. Lower lip, median lobe, when opening and fully             opened, upper surface: Close to N155C; platform, close to             157D. Upper and lower lips, when opening and fully opened,             lower surface: Close to NN155C. Throat: Close to NN155C.             Tube: Close to NN155C.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single             whorl. Length: About 2.1 mm. Width: About 1.8 mm. Shape:             Ovate. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Immature and mature,             upper surface: Close to 143A. Immature and mature, lower             surface: Close to 143A.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 0.9 mm. Diameter: About 0.4 mm.             Angle: Outward. Strength: Moderately strong; flexible.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 145A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Typically             four. Stamen length: About 3.1 mm. Anther shape: Oblong.             Anther length: About 1.6 mm. Anther color: Close to 155B.             Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 155B.             Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About             2.6 mm. Stigma shape: Tapering. Stigma color: Close to             NN155C. Style color: Close to NN155C. Ovary color: Close to             NN155A.         -   Seeds/fruits.—Seed and fruit production have not been             observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Angelonia have not been     noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Angelonia. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Angelonia have been observed     to have good garden performance and tolerate rain, wind and     temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to about 40° C. 

1. A new and distinct Angelonia plant named ‘Sungeloho’ as illustrated and described. 